Vegetable-cutting machine



A. STOLTENBERG.

VEGETABLE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F-ILED JULY 10. 19191 Patented Feb. 22,1921.

ATTORNEY A. STOLTENBERG.

VEGETABLE CUTTING MACHINE.

`Mmm/mou FILED 1u Lv'1o.-|919.

Patented Feb. 22,1921.

5 sains-shin 2.`

i www. www

'Hummm.

ATTORNEY A. STOLTENBERG.

vEGmLE cumN MAcHxNE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY l0, 1919.

vPatented Feb. 22, 1921.'l

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. wlllwmmw@wwmmwwmNMMNNMw.l E wh. r /A @at f A. STOLTENBERG.

VEGETABLE CUTTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED 1ULYIO,I9I9.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- INVENTOR uuuuuu www. Lum,

u www uuuuuuuw IIIIIIIIII'" narran sra'iss nnoLr s'ToLTnNBEne, or NEW Yonx, N. Y.

'vnGE'rABLE-CUTTING MACHINE.

accasion.

To all whom t may concern:

a citizen of Germany, residingat New York, l'

in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vegetable Cutting Machines, oit which the following is a specification. l

The present invention relates to vegetable cutters and has for its principalV object to provide a device by means of which different kinds of vegetables or fruit, such as potatoes, onions, carrots, etc., apples, pineapples, etc., may be readily and conveniently cut up into pieces oi various shapes and sizes without crushing. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide such construction as will enable the handling oi the cutter by unskilledpersons.

And a still further object of my invention is to provide a construction which will eliminate waste in material. y

lVith these and other objects in View my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of parts more speciically` described hereinafter and as set Y vforth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar v reference characters denote corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my new cutter; F ig.'2 is atop plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section along line '3 8 of Fig. 2 showing the parts as used in 'a'full sized machine; Fig. e is a cross section on line fii of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 showing a portion of the vegetable or food feeding mechanism in one position; Fig. 6 is a similar section as Fig. 5 showing the said mechanism in a different position; Fig. 7 is a cross'section on line 7 7 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a front view of two cutters adapted to coperate with one another to Vcut the vegetables or fruit into pieces of a certain shape;rFig. 9 is av section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-10 of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a section on line 11 11 of Fig. 8 and Fig. 12is a sectional view of a cutter which may be used in conjunction with the two cutters Shown in Fig. or only with the circular cutter shown therein. Y j 1 1 Y The cutting device forming the subject of the present invention comprises a casting made of a lower section 10 and anl upper sectionll and which, at one'side, is formed to MNT rrica- Specification of Letters Patent. i Patente/ @ely 22, 1921.

Application led July 10, 1919.`l Serial 110. 309,929. I

a receptacle 12v` extending throughoutlthe en- Y 'tire length vof the casting, and serving to receive the vegetable or fruit to be cut. One

end of said receptacleis closed while the other. end opens toward knives to be applied to said end and which will be hereinafter fully described. The upper section serves as a cover for said receptacle andl is removably j otherwise. .Near the open kend of the receptaclesaid cover is provided with a charge yopening 14 surrounded onv itSoutSide with lfixed to' the lower section by screws 13 or" upwardly projecting vflanges 15 forming a ,y

sort of hopper. The part 11 oi-said cover extending laterally beyond the receptacle is formedl on its inner face with a' longitudinal semifcylindrical groove 16 to serve as al hood for a worm spindle 17 to be hereinafter fully described. The said part 11 is also provided at itsends with semi-cylindrical extensions 18, 19 which, in coperationwith correspondingly sized and shaped grooves 20, 21 in the lower section, constitute bearings for said spindle 17. At the open end of the receptaclev the ycasting is provided with a groove'22 and the cover with a groove 23 which grooves coincide with one another and j the open end of the receptacle the shaft 24 is adapted to receive a circular cutter 25 of anysuitable construction. lIn the present embodiment of my'invention the cutter is in form of a circular disk having one or more spirally kshaped radially extending grooves 26 and a corresponding number of blades 27 suitably fixed to the rear of the disk so as to 34 of which may be roughened.

ber in crosssection conforms with the cross section of the receptacle and is of a height' and cover.

project with their edges 27 over one edge of said grooves as shown in F ig. 11. This cutter is removably secured in place to the shaft. It has a radially extending recess 28 near the spiral blades 27 to form a socket. This socket serves to removably bear in itself a member 29 adapted to Vbe tightened to the disk 25 bya nut 30 (Fig. 8) working on the end of the shaft 24. This member may, according tothe work desiredhave different functions. It may be either in form of a bar fitting snugly in said recess 28 and having a smooth inner surface. In this case it merely iposition by the nut 30.

Movably mounted in the receptacle 12V of the casting is a ymember 34 the front face This mem to project up to about the inner face of the upper section with a narrow clearance between itself and the walls of the receptacle This member 34 serves to feed the'vegetables or fruit placedV into the receptacle toward the knife or knives and serves thus as a pusher or feeder. In order to allcw of the vegetables or fruit being cut into slices or pieces of different thicknesses, the pusher is moved intermittently and the extent of its periodical forward thrust is regt-.lated by suitable means to be described. This pusher is formed at its rear with an extension or bolt 342 which is adapted to engage a socket 352 formed in a lateralextenor .armj35 projecting into the recepf 12 from a nut 35 working on the worm `17. `When the spindle 17 is revolved will be fed forwardly or rearwardly the case may be and the pusher will adrance or retreat.

Mounted adjustably on the cylindrical portion 17 of the spindle 17 behind the shoulders 17 3 is a disk 36 having a suitably shaped cam surface 36 substantially as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This cam serves to regulate the extent of the intermittent y stroke to be imparted to the pusher 34. A

stationary circular" disk 37 mounted on the extension 17 of the spindle 17 adjacent to said first cam 36 and having a cam surface 37 substantially similar in shape to that of the cam surface 36 is provided with a lug f Vof the worm spindle 17 is also a substantially cylindrical casing 40 which at its outer end is closed, but which is open on its inner end and is adapted to inclose the said cam 37 ratchet wheel 39 and a part 363 of the adjustable cam 36. The uncovered or eX- posed part of said adiustable cam is located between the inner edge of said casing and the rear edges of the upper and lower sections of the casting. l' The casing 40 has a hollow peripheral eX- tension 402 from which projects an arm 403 constituting a crank for the manipulation of the machine. Arranged in the hollow eX- tension 402 of the casing` 40 is a roller 41 adapted to cooperate with the cams 36, 37. This roller is rotatively mounted on a pin 42 projecting laterally from a circularly shaped member 43 which is formed with a peripheral extension 43 terminating in a bolt 432 movably supported with its free end in a socket 402 provided in the closed end 405 of the extension 402 of the casing 40. A spiral spring 44 mounted around said bolt is adapted to constantly press the'roller 41 against the stationary cam and the member 43 toward the toothed wheel 39. The member 43 is provided with a tooth 433 which is adapted to periodically engage the ratchet wheel 39 and thereby on rotation of the casing 40 by means of its crank arm 403 to impart rotary motion to said wheel 39 and consequently .to said worm spindle 17 (Figs. 5 and 6).

When the casing 40 is revolved by means of its cra-nk arm 403 the roller 41 while travcling over'the circular part of the periphery of the stationary cam will hold the tooth 43 of the pawl or member 43 out of the path of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39 and the worm spindle 17 remains stationary. As soon as the roller reaches the cam surface 37 it, together with the member 43 under the action of the spring 44, is moved Atoward said cam and wheel, permitting the tooth 433 to enter the path of the teeth ofthe ratchet-wheel 39 and engage the same. The engagement between the tooth 433 andthe ratchet wheel 39 is effectivev during the period the'roller '41 travels over the camf surface 37 of the diskf37. And during-this period while the casing 40 is revolved the worm spindle 17 will be rotated through the medium of the ratchet wheel 39 keyed thereto. The pusher or feeder will be fed during this period and the extent of its intermittent feeding stroke will depend upon the' length of the cam shaped portion 37 of the periphery of the stationary cam 37.v The slices or pieces ofthe Vvegetables or fruit cut will be of uniform thickness corresponding to the'individual strokes of the p usher.-v Y

In order to'allo'w of a 'variation in the thicknesses of the pieces to be cut, I employ the adjustable Vcam 36. This cam normally may be so positioned as to beoutof the path of the roller 41. When it is desired to change the individual stroke of the pusher in order to allow of the cutting' of thinner or thicker slices or pieces, the cam disk 36 is turned on its axis until its cam vsurfaces `thereby modifying the length of the stroke of the pusher 34.

In the present example the two cams 36 v and 37 are so 4shaped that upon adjustment Vof the cam 36 the cam surface'of the other cam 37 will be lengthened or shortened thereby a great variation inthe lengths of the stroke of the pusher will be effected.

The adjustable cam disk 36 is vprovided in the exposed part of its periphery with a plurality of notches 364. In a lug 112 projecting from the upper section 11 of the casting I provide a threaded bore in' which works a set screw'45 adapted to engage any one of the notches 364 of the adjustable cam. Thus after the cam 36 has been adjusted for a certain thickness the latter is engaged by the set screw 45 as described and is locked in its adjusted position. The exposed portion of the periphery of the cam disk 36 may be provided with markings 365 which are arranged in accordance with the different adjustments possible and an 'indicator or pointer 46 directed toward the cam Vcutsca'n be effected, as for insta-nce 'slices of potatoesonions, etc.

thel worm spindleA and n projeetsoutwardly l therefrom., terminating-.in a square x24 on which 1s mountedl a' collar 46 formed. with a lateral lug 46. T his lug is adapted to engage a notch 40"'inV the hub portion of the casing 40, whereby'the shaft 24'is operatively connectedfto the crank operated cas-V ing @.-U'Thus at all times when the casing vis revolved thepshaft 24will` revolvewhilc the Worm spindle 17-[will only periodically receive rotary motion, advancing the pusher intermittently at strokes corresponding to T he socket formed by grooves 22, 23 (Fig. 10) at the open end of the receptacle 12 serves to receive and hold an additional cutter 47 which maybe used in coperation with the circular knife in order to produce cuts` of different shape.V The knife 47 in size and shape conforms with thesocket and is adapted to snugly fit in said socket. f

uniform In the present embodiment of my invention this cutter 47 consists of an open frame providedwith a .plurality of parallel blades 48 extending across andin width slightly'` shorter than' the depth of the opening in said frame. The sharpV edges of said blades are directly inwardlyl andV are adapted to cut transversely the' article when pressed forwardly by the pusher 34. before being acted upon by the rotary knife 25. If the kind of cut desired does not require the knife 47, the latter can be removed from the' socket 22, 23 and replaced by an open frame (not shown) substantially of they shape and size as that of the knife 47 but in which the blades 4 8 are omitted. In this case'the' article will be fed toward the rotary knife through said openframe.

The return of the feeder or pusher into j initial position is effected by the following means: l y i n A bolt or lug 49 is mounted in a support 5 3 projecting from the casing 40 and has on its inner end a ratchet tooth 49 adapted to engage `anotch174 formed with a` catchl 175. When the casing is'turned/ in ya direction opposite tothat ofthe cutting'action,

the push er back in one continuous movement to its original position.

`the tooth will f engage said catchV and -l carry the spindle 17v along. thereby feeding 50 denotes va thrust ball' bearingfor vthe ratchet wheel 39 which may be suitably mounted in the casing 40 as shown in Fig. 3. 51" denotes a cap screwed Aon'fa'threaded iso ortion 242 Vof the shaft and held in position y a set screw 52 for tightening the ring 46 in engagement with the casing 40.

To guard against injury by the rotary lmife the top and bottom sections 10, 11 of the casting may be provided withplateral circular extensions or flanges 54, 55 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Theremay be also attached to the casting a circularly curved guide 56 partly surrounding the circular cutter 25 to guide the cut product falling down through the space betweensaid cutter *and the casting into a receptacle 55 which may be placed underneath the cutter.l

Theoperation of my cutting machine is as follows:

The vegetables` are thrown into the receptacle 12-through the hopperA 14, 15 while the pusher 34 is in position at the rear of the hopper. rIhe casing 40 is then turned by means of the crank arm 403 whereby the pawl 433 will be caused to periodically engage the ratchet wheel 39 and impart to the spindle intermittent movements depending upon the relative position of the two cams 36 and 37. By this intermittent rotation of the worm 17 the pusher will advance periodically and feed the vegetables toward the knives. If a knife like 47 is used the vegetable will be first cut lengthwise or transversely and then by the' rotary knife. Instead of arranging the blades 48 horizontally the same may be arranged vertlcally. The knife 25 is shown as provided with two spiral blades. The number of blades is optional. The same may be spaced apart to correspond with the feed of the pusher.

The shape of the cuts to be made may be variegated by providing differently shaped knives and by using the knives 25, 47 and 32 separately or in conjunction with one another.

It is understood that various changes may be madby those skilled in the art without departing from the principle of my invention and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the details described and shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a vegetable cutting machine, the combination with a receptacle and a rotary cutter at one end of said receptacle, of means for imparting rotary motion to said cutter, a pusher in said receptacle, means operatively connected to said first `named means to impart intermittent motion to sald pusher and cams adjustable relative to one another to lengthen or shorten the stroke of the intermittent movement of said pusher.

2. In a cutting machine, the combination with a receptacle and a rotary cutter, of a vrotary shaft carrying said cutter, a worm spindle loosely mounted on said shaft, a pusher in said receptacle fed by said worm spindle, means for revolving said shaft, means operatively connected to said first named means to impart an intermittent movement to said worm spindle and pusher, and means for regulating the extent of said intermittent movement.

3. In a vegetable cutting machine, the combination with a receptacle anda rotary cutter, of a rotary shaft carrying said cutter, a worm spindle loosely mounted on said shaft, a pusher in said receptacle fed by said worm spindle, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to said worm spindle, means for imparting rotary motion to said shaft, a pawl adapted to periodically engage said ratchet Wheel to impart intermittent motion to said worm spindle and means for varyingl the period of such engagementto regulate the extent of said intermittent motion.

4. In a vegetable cutting machine, the combination with a receptacle and a cutting means, of a rotary shaft carrying said means, a ypusher in said receptacle, a crank for imparting rotation to said shaft, a worm spindle loosely mounted on said shaft and adapted to move said pusher, a ratchet wheel connected to said worm spindle, a yielding pawl carried by said crank and adapted to periodically engage said ratchet wheel and impart intermittent motion to said worm spindle and pusher, an adjustable cam Vfor controlling the period of engagement of said pawl with said ratchet and the extent of the intermittent stroke of said pusher.

5. In a vegetable cutting machine, the combination with a receptacle and a cutting means, of a rotary shaft carrying said means, a pusher in said receptacle, a crank for imparting rotation to said shaft, a worm spindle loosely mounted on said shaft and adaptedA to move said pusher, a ratchet wheel connected to said worm spindle, a yielding pawl carried by said crank and adapted to periodically engage said ratchet wheel and impart intermittent motion to said worm spindle and pusher, an adjustable cam, a roller connected to said pawl and adapted to coperate with saidV cam to control the period of engagement of said pawl with said ratchet wheel, and means for returning the pusher into initial position in a continuous stroke. v

6. In a vegetable cutting machine,` the combination with a receptacle and a rotary cutter, of a rotary shaft carrying said cutter, a pusher in said receptacle, movable means on said shaft for feeding said pusher, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to said movable means, means for imparting rotary motion to said shaft, a pawl carried by said last named means, means for causing said pawl to periodically engage said ratchet wheel and impart thereto and to the aforesaid movableV means rotation, and

means for 4varying the period of such en` sorewfrom va continuous rotation of said 10 gagement between said pawl and ratchet t 'driving shaft, substantially as and for'the Y regulate the stroke'of the pusher. 1 purpose set fortln' 7. In a slicing machine, a cutting and In testimony lwhereof I aIiX my signature feeding mechanism comprising a hollow j in presence of two witnesses.

screw, a knife driving shaft extending there- ADOLF STOLTNBERG. through, a knife on one end of the said shaft Witnesses: A Y and a power' wheel or crank on the other FRED. J. (SRIESMER,AV

and means for intermittently operating said -MAX D. ()R1):l\rA1`I1\I.l 

